Weequay - TVC - Basic (VC107)

Name: WeequayCollection: The Vintage CollectionNumber: VC107Source: Return Of The JediAvailability: October 2012License: Hasbro

Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you!

Wave 16 of The Vintage Collection has some incredible gems in it. For a wave to be graced with so many spectacular action figures is certainly not unprecedented, but it is always to get great gifts like this from Hasbro – even if they don't make it to retail liek this wave will not. Every wave of The Vintage Collection up to this point has included (at the very least) one breathtaking action figure. But as technology moves forward, so does the technology and quality of an action figure and it also seems the expectations Hasbro have toward their sculptors also reach new levels. So it seems that while Weequay comes with the new standard of articulation, Hasbro has still reached a new pinnacle in their ability to make remarkable Star Wars action figures while making the articulation more utilitarian. If there’s one action figure that Hasbro has overused to a fault, it’s 1997’s POTF2 Weequay (Skiff Guard) figure. It was one of their greatest efforts of the nineties, but they were still releasing repainted versions of this figure as late as 2008 in The Legacy Collection’sBattle At The Sarlacc Pit TARGET Exclusive [Ultimate] Battle Packs set. There were many other figures they updated before Weequay that could have waited a bit longer. Collectors begged and begged for an update but Hasbro kept telling us that it was in their parking lot but for reasons unknown it never made its way down to production lists.... until now. Perhaps we should remember that everything happens for a reason. Hindsight is always 20/20, but would you have preferred another way to get the 1983 Return Of The Jedi Weequay vintage Kenner figure updated than somewhere within The Vintage Collection? We certainly wouldn’t have it any other way and we have to tell you right up front that Weequay is the probably the best action figure in wave 16 of The Vintage Collection. This iteration is not 100% perfect, but it’s “perfect enough” in our eyes and we’re so thankful that Hasbro knocked this one out of the park, especially for The Vintage Collection!

Weequay shines from head to toe. It’s one and only issue is mismatched knees and ankle joints (Hasbro thankfully got the elbow joints the right color). Yes, this is typically enough to deflate the most avid collector, but it may not be as bad as you think. The "good" news in this error however is that the knee joints, while still the incorrect color, are light like his pants and the "clash" doesn’t scream out like other figures have. Moving along, Weequay is a dream come true in every other way. He represents everything great about what Hasbro’s sculptors can do. The detailed head sculpt, the textured vest, the gauntlets, the tucked-in pants and the short sculpted and pliable skirt are all proof of the brilliance that these sculptors possess. It also should prove to you why no other licensee but Hasbro is suited to oversee the production of toys made for the Star Wars line. Weequay has full use of his ball-jointed articulation. This is an answer to prayer because other action figures with shoulder armor (namely 2011’s TVC Clone Trooper (VC45) and TVC AT-RT Driver (VC46) figures) basically have no shoulder articulation because of the way the sculpt inhibits the movement. Well, with Weequay, you contain attain full movement in both shoulders which is especially important for having him hold his force pike. The shoulder armor is designed in a way to slide right into the socket instead of stopping it cold. His hands have also been thoroughly sculpted to accept not only the force pike, but also the included skiff guard blaster. He doesn’t come with a holster for the gun, but rest easy knowing that it can be stowed in his hands with a very firm grip for alternate display. Weequay has a solid center of gravity and can be configured into a wide array of positions. Just check out our photo gallery for just some examples. Oh, and for those curious about his real name, it looks like it is Pagetti Rook. At least this is true in the Expanded Universe.

While it goes without saying that a modern update to Weequay has been long-awaited, it was the right thing to do on Hasbro’s part to make us wait so long for him. Again, this action figure is relatively perfect. Yes, the mismatched articulation joints are annoying and it’s perplexing why Hasbro can’t ensure that these issues are avoided. It's something we have a hard time comprehending. But everything else about this incredible action figure is just simply mind-blowing. Weequay won’t ever need to be revisited again, aside from the knee joints of course. This is the definitive version of Weequay and we couldn’t be more please with the final results! He blows away 2011’s TVC Weequay (Skiff Master) (VC48) by a landslide and he’s actually the best Weequay species figure in the entire line. That may not be hard to beat, but we bet that even future Weequay action figures won’t be able to topple this one. (You might also be interested to know that his head isn't nearly as oblong as that other figure either!) It took almost 30 full years to get a definitive modern update to this figure and do you believe it’s been a decade and a half since Hasbro created the first modern version of Weequay (Skiff Guard) in 1997’s POTF2 basic figure line? We’ve come a very long way. It’s been a long journey, but the destination has been reached and the sights are beyond remarkable. It’s figures like Weequay that take away some of the stings and pains of a year plagued by distribution woes. And let's not forget how Hasbro has changed the focus of the kids’ lines. And lastly, remember that this hobby is losing collectors and they're dropping like flies because of the general dissatisfaction with the Star Wars brand, especially since repacks seem to be taking center stage anymore. It’s a shame that wave 16 was cancelled as a general release item, but there should be plenty of opportunities to snag masterpieces like Weequay for your collection. Be sure not to miss this boat (or skiff) for Weequay. This one is a must-have.